What Europeans think about Ukraine

The overwhelming number of foreign visitors (92%) who came to the Eurovision song contest in Kiev, ready to return to Ukraine again — these are the findings of a poll conducted by the Institute of world policy. The study was conducted from 3 to 13 may and using computerized interview interviewed 1060 foreigners aged 18 to 64 years. “Respondents were chosen randomly in Kiev, in the most crowded places target audience: international exhibition centre and the fan zone in the city centre, — the authors of the study. It should be noted that the estimates of immigrants from the EU and from countries outside it, were almost the same.”

PORTRAIT OF A TOURIST. According to the poll, of all respondents, 59% came from EU countries. Kiev was visited by mostly men (68% ) and young people aged 25 to 34 years (43%). As to the geography of the city, the majority of the guests came from neighboring Belarus, in second place — Germany, the third — Georgia. The top five countries completing France and Poland. More than half, namely 54%, the first time he came to visit us and 28% of respondents had concerns about the upcoming trip. “Those who feared, admitted: just do not know how safe is it in Kiev, as the country still suffers from hostilities — such was 56%. Important observation: representatives of the EU countries have chosen this option twice as often as immigrants from other countries. Somewhat smaller, but still significant number of people (43%) admitted that they were afraid of terrorist attacks in Kiev”, — said in the Institute.

Interestingly, the Association with Ukraine are changing and moving away from the usual clichés. So, Chernobyl, our country is now associated only 3% of respondents, with the Klitschko brothers — 8%, with beautiful women and 2% of foreigners. At the same time only 2% of respondents said that in Ukraine they associate primarily with the post-Soviet country. 12% did not have any associations. But 24% of respondents heard the news about Ukraine in the context of the conflict with Russia.

THAT HAS CHANGED. After a visit to Kiev by foreign tourists dramatically changed their views on the Ukrainian capital: now the majority (32%) it is associated with hospitality and positive people, beautiful architecture (24%), food (13%) and beautiful women (12%). Thus, no matter how trying the utility, the purity of the city said only 1% of guests, and our metro impressed only 1% of respondents. The respondents said that the friendliness of the people of Kiev, the excellent infrastructure of entertainment, we are no worse and sometimes even better than in the EU. Noted cultural and mental similarities with the Europeans. The question then is, what is worse in Ukraine than in European countries, said the transport, urban infrastructure and knowledge of the English language the local population.

“However, it should be noted that many of the guests wanted to point out something bad about Ukraine: 19% chose the option “difficult to say”, even as many chose the answer “nothing”, — noted in the study. To sum up, for 51% of the guests of the Eurovision song contest trip to Ukraine met expectations, and another 47% — surpassed them. “Disappointed was extremely small — only ten people, and it is 1%,” say the sociologists.

POLITICAL CONTEXT. Said foreigners and political issues. For example, 5% of the foreigners somehow consider Ukraine a member of NATO, and 12% of the Council of Europe, 6% in the EU. But coming bezviz commended 76% of respondents and opposed by only 2%. “54% believe that Ukraine will become an EU member in the next 5 years, while 19% believe that we will enter the European family in the next decade, the study says. — Why Ukraine deserves EU membership? 57% of respondents chose the geographical motive: “Ukraine is part of Europe.” 26% believe that the EU should therefore protect Ukraine from the encroachment of the Russian Federation”. While 70% perceive the conflict in Donbass as a war between Ukraine and Russia, and 66% think the latter is guilty.

The view from Europe. Meanwhile, the NGO Promote Ukraine found out how the Europeans are able to distinguish Russian propaganda from objective facts about Ukraine. Consistently, the thesis is distributed about Ukrainian corruption, but also thanks to the news about the Orange revolution and Euromaidan . “I am pleased that the Europeans are ignoring imposed by the Russian propaganda thesis that in Ukraine the reign of nationalist ideas. But I know about the Ukrainian fertile lands (Ukraine was the “breadbasket of Europe” in the Soviet era) and economic cooperation”, – the authors of the study. Among other things, the Europeans appreciate the presence of a common religion with the Ukrainians, our level of education and no longer consider our country as part of Russia. Moreover, some consider Ukraine a barrier between an aggressive Russia and progressive Europe. “The Europeans, who at least once was in Ukraine or have Ukrainian friends more knowledgeable and more Pro-Ukrainian-minded. Mostly personal contacts become the source of positive information about Ukraine”, – noted in Promote Ukraine.